Encounter the Cross


Book Description

Praying "The Seven Last Words" is a deeply rooted devotional practice for Catholics during Lent and Holy Week. Meditating on the dying words of Our Lord during the agony of his crucifixion has enabled believers to both enter into his suffering and to find personal meaning in it, regardless of the time or circumstances in which they live. This book presents thoughtful meditations on each of Christ's sayings from the cross, followed by questions for further reflection and a simple heartfelt prayer. Father Billy, an experienced spiritual director, shows how Jesus' final testament can give you the courage to face your trials, to embrace the inevitability of your own death, and to be filled with the hope and promise of plentiful redemption. He teaches that being fully human, both in life and in death, requires a personal encounter with Jesus that invites him to dwell in your heart. View sample pages. "Paperback"










Cross-Shattered Christ


Book Description

In Cross-Shattered Christ, theologian Stanley Hauerwas offers a moving reflection on Jesus's final words from the cross. This small and powerful volume is theologically poignant and steeped in humility. Hauerwas's pithy discussion opens our ears to the language of Scripture while opening our hearts to a truer vision of God. Touching in original and surprising ways on subjects such as praying the Psalms and our need to be remembered by Jesus, Hauerwas emphasizes Christ's humanity as well as the sheer "differentness" of God. Ideal for personal devotion during Lent and throughout the year, Cross-Shattered Christ offers a transformative reading of Jesus's words that goes directly to the heart of the gospel.







The Seven Last Words from the Cross


Book Description

For at least a century, at special three-hour services on Good Friday, it has been the custom in many churches to reflect on the Seven Last Words of Jesus from the Cross. In this tradition, Fleming Rutledge here presents seven eloquent meditations on these final sayings of Jesus. Rutledge links the sayings from the cross with contemporary events and concerns, but also incorporates recent biblical scholarship and modern questions about the death of Christ, particularly in light of Mel Gibson's film The Passion of the Christ. Rutledge shows how each word or saying from the Cross affords an opportunity for readers to gain a deeper understanding of the horrific death suffered by Jesus. Intending for this book to lead readers into a genuine devotional experience, Rutledge has made every effort to evoke and preserve the contemplative atmosphere of the three-hour Good Friday memorial. The book includes frequent references to hymns associated with this special day, and each meditation ends with an appropriate hymn text for personal prayer and reflection.




The Last Words of Jesus


Book Description

Much has been written on the last words of Jesus, the traditional phrases taken from Scripture that depict the final moments of Jesus’s life as he dies on the cross. In this new take on the last words, author Dan Horan brings a fresh perspective to this time-honored meditation as he challenges readers to look at their lives through the lens of Jesus’s suffering and death. Yet interlaced with suffering, the focus throughout is on the immense love of God for human beings, shown in the gift of Jesus, God made flesh. In his preface, Horan writes: “In a world that remains irrevocably shaped by the suffering of the human condition, the misunderstanding between groups and cultures symbolized by the horrific events of September 11, we need to hear Christ’s words anew.” He gives us a different look into these words by drawing on works by other noted scholars and spiritual writers, then fashioning a view of these phrases that’s contemporary and thought-provoking. An ideal Lenten companion, especially during Holy Week, The Last Words of Jesus will also serve as a useful meditation throughout the year on the deep love Jesus bore for us in taking on the human condition. The audio edition of this book can be downloaded via Audible.